A small community called Gig Harbor, Washington in the Pacific Northwest region of the USA. A young boy at a Christian school there. A British Anglican peacemaker called “The Vicar of Baghdad”. It all came together last week to provide an inspiring story of one gift given from the heart that multiplies to touch many… Read More A One Dollar Gift in Gig Harbor leads to Multiplication in Iraq and Syria
It takes your breath away. It is stunning. For one man who has visited five times, he never fails to weep. Buried for 780 years, it is hard to imagine that it would ever see the light of day again. What is it? A 12 foot tall stone monument, called simply the Nestorian Stele. Housed in… Read More Buried For 780 Years
I’ve just spent almost three weeks in China. As part of that time, I visited with colleagues one of the wonders of the world east of Xi’an, the Terracotta warriors. We entered one of three viewing areas for the major excavation pits, and it was simply stunning. There before us were thousands of intricately carved… Read More What Else Lies Buried?
Anytime we have expectations, or trust in someone or something to meet them, we risk disillusionment and disappointment when it doesn’t come to pass. So it is for many people with political power. Perhaps it is an expectation that a particular political leader will get elected and lead us into a promised land. Doesn’t usually happen… Read More In “Political Power” We Trust? What Can We Learn From Timothy I of Baghdad, Part 3
The question erupted into the news in the USA last week based in part on the comments of Dr. Ben Carson, one of many candidates of the Republican party. Could a Muslim serve as President? Reactions were swift and varied. The idea that having a believing Christian as President and therefore that having the pinnacle… Read More A Muslim President in the USA? What Can We Learn From Timothy of Baghdad, Part 2
As promised I will devote several posts from time to time on the history of the Church of the East. One of my personal heroes is the leader of the Church for many years in Asia, Timothy 1. He is perhaps one of the greatest mission-minded leaders in history. His death at the age of… Read More Who was Timothy I of Baghdad and Why Does He Matter Today? Part 1
While in Townsville, Australia last week for meetings, I read the news of Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany announcing her decision to take in 800,000 refugees. These are primarily Syrians and part of as many as 4 million that have fled the country’s now almost five-year civil war. Merkel’s decision came in a week where the… Read More For Your Tomorrows We Gave Our Todays
Last week as I wandered the grounds of the largest religious complex in the world, Angkor Watt, there was a question in my mind. Why aren’t there more Indian tourists around? I saw many Japanese, Koreans, Chinese, Europeans, but where were the Indians? After all, Indian tourists are all over next door Thailand, just a few hours… Read More Why Aren’t There More Indian Tourists at Angkor Watt?
Originally posted on Encounters of Faith in Asia: Past, Present and Future:
This week I’ve been in Pailin, Cambodia. This small city near the Thailand border was the stronghold of the Khmer Rouge for many years after their ouster from power in 1979. From 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia (re-naming it Kampuchea)…
This week I’ve been in Pailin, Cambodia. This small city near the Thailand border was the stronghold of the Khmer Rouge for many years after their ouster from power in 1979. From 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia (re-naming it Kampuchea) with a reign of terror, with over 2 million people dying in… Read More From ‘Year Zero’ to Hope in the Future
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